An In Their Corner picture book
Preparing young children to see a loved one in intensive care
When Grandpa Rex goes to the ICU, a grumpy cloud named Grumblegloom follows Rory to the hospital and grows with every worry. With help from Nurse Trixie, Rory learns that every question makes the cloud smaller.
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Paperback ISBN979-8-1619-7537-4
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Ways to get the book
Save the full book to a phone or computer to read offline. The file is about 10 MB.
Download the bookThis file has only the 14 pages that follow the story, so a child can color and write without you printing the whole book.
Download activity pagesOrder a printed copy on Amazon with ISBN 979-8-1619-7537-4. It sells at printing cost, so no one profits from it.
Find it on AmazonInside the book
Rory follows Grandpa Rex to the ICU and finds out what the beeps and tubes are for.
Big hospital words made small, such as monitor and ventilator.
Twelve pages of things to do, ending with a Certificate of Bravery.
Six short tips for helping a child through a loved one’s ICU stay.
Meet the characters
A young T. rex with the tiniest arms in Dino Valley and a jar for catching letters.
Rory’s grandpa, who can burp the whole alphabet. He spends part of the story in the ICU.
A three-horned ICU nurse who teaches Rory that big worries hate questions.
A grumpy little cloud that grows with every worry and shrinks with every answer.
For parents and caregivers
The book works best when a grown-up reads it with the child. These four steps follow a visit from start to finish.
Reading the story ahead of time lets a child meet the beeps and tubes before seeing them in person.
When Rory’s tummy goes wobbly, ask your child how they feel. The page of Rory’s faces can help them find the words.
Like Rory, your child can ask a nurse one question. The book offers a few to start with.
After the visit, sign the Certificate of Bravery together. It gives the day a good ending.
The book thanks the ICU nurses at Mount Sinai South Nassau and the In Their Corner Family Advisory Board. It is meant to comfort and teach. It is not medical advice, so please talk with your loved one’s care team about any questions.
